2013 Baseball Thread

[ragtopW]

interesting piece about how much teams are paying for injured players
My questions, is it luck? or is it due to teams keeping players that are aging or just prone to getting hurt?
training? facility's? game fields?

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013 ... .html?_r=0

[CaptainP]

MLB may suspend Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez, and others, for connections to Miami clinic.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/ ... estigation

[CaptainP]

My response to this will come across as biased, as I am a Brewers fan and a Ryan Braun fan. But my response will also be filled with factual information.

Major League Baseball doesn't have a leg to stand on. If they are indeed looking to suspend Braun, then roll the dice. But they are forgetting a little thing called the "Collective Bargaining Agreement" that they have with the Major League Baseball Players Union (also known as the most powerful Labor Union in the world). The most recently agreed upon CBA has a section which covers drug testing and discipline, which includes the possibility of a 50-game suspension for a 1st failed test, 100-games for a 2nd test, and a lifetime ban after the 3rd. They are talking about suspending Braun 100 games, even though he never served a 50-game suspension, because he did, technically have a previous failed test.

The problem is simple, though. BRAUN HAS NOT FAILED A TEST THIS TIME. The owner of the clinic is allegedly agreeing to speak to Major League Baseball and give information about players. But a guy saying, "He did it" is not a failed test. If I wanted to, I could claim to have provided Braun with drugs. Braun has not failed a test this time. MLB is upset that he got off on a technicality last time, so they are going after him again. But he has not failed a test, and the CBA states that he can be suspended for failing a test. If they suspend him, I believe that they are in for a world of hurt in terms of lawsuits.

The Muckrackers over at ESPN are the ones reporting all of this. If Braun is again exonerated, my feeling is that he should drop an enormous lawsuit in their laps for Libel. Another part of the CBA includes a privacy clause. The process is that you take a test, you fail a test, you appeal, and if the appeal is denied, THEN the suspension is announced. If your appeal is successful, nobody ever needs know and your reputation is intact. But 2 years ago, ESPN found out that he was going through the process, and suddenly he was branded as a cheater; and even though he was later able to prove his innocence, people still think of him as such. Now, 2 years later, ESPN is again reporting that he may be suspended. It does not matter if he is not...his reputation will now forever be tied to this scandal. He will lose MILLIONS in endorsements, and will forever have to battle against slanderous comments.

2 years ago, Braun was able to prove that the testing system is flawed. He also showed that in his entire career, minors and majors alike, he has never had a spike in numbers. His weight has stayed the same. His speed has not increased. His body fat has not fluctuated. None of the indications of using a PED. However, since he used a technicality to avoid suspension, the suspicion remains. It should have been done behind closed doors, as it should have been done this time. 2 years ago, he needed to prepare a defense against the allegations. His attorney contacted a consultant to help with his case. That consultant was Tony Bosch, the man who is now talking to Major League Baseball. When this scandal originally broke, Braun said as much. He didn't try to hide or backpedal...he met it head on. It was also curious that while other athletes listed in their books, such as Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, had specific drugs listed next to their names (and have since been caught and suspended), Braun's name showed nothing other than two payments received...in December 2011 and January 2012. Those dates happen to correspond with the time he was going through his appeal for his prior "failed" test.

If he is exonerated, he would have every reason to sue ESPN until he owns the network. His reputation is ruined. If it wasn't for ESPN, we would never know that he was accused either time.

Maybe I'm wrong and proof will come to light. But at this point, don't judge him. The only evidence against him are a failed test that was full of more holes than Mark-Andre Fleury (that's for the hockey fans out there...), and a single guy who may or may not claim to have supplied Braun with PEDs...but with no proof. We'll see, but I prefer to remember that we live in the United States where one is "Innocent Until Proven Guilty". So far, he's been proven NOT GUILTY one time, and now has to fight to prove it again. Stay tuned.

[chippewa]

The reports I read said that Braun did indeed fail a test, but he got the results overturned for improper handling. (they didn't get it to a FedEx office in a timely matter) My opinion, he found a loophole and got lucky. He may have been "not guilty", but I don't think he proved his innocence by getting a positive test result thrown out.

If any suspension happens, I don't see Braun getting 100 games anyway. Maybe they're throwing that out there so they can settle on 50 in the end. Though Yankee fans might push for 100 for Rodriguez.

[CaptainP]

The reports I read said that Braun did indeed fail a test, but he got the results overturned for improper handling. (they didn't get it to a FedEx office in a timely matter) My opinion, he found a loophole and got lucky. He may have been "not guilty", but I don't think he proved his innocence by getting a positive test result thrown out.

If any suspension happens, I don't see Braun getting 100 games anyway. Maybe they're throwing that out there so they can settle on 50 in the end. Though Yankee fans might push for 100 for Rodriguez.

The problem is, MLB's appeal system is designed to find you guilty. He took the loophole out because it may have been the path of least resistance.

Yes, there was a failed test, but one fact you must consider. The highest level of synthetic testosterone ever found in a test had previously been 4ppm. His test was well over 200ppm. That's enough to kill a fully grown horse, and way more than should have killed Braun. There were 3 days where his sample was allegedly sitting "in a Tupperware container in the collector's basement". Who knows what happened to that sample in the meantime? There were so many suspicious circumstances that the evidence SCREAMS for questioning.

[drunkpirate66]

Braun juiced more than Drago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6K3IvJzJRg

[CaptainP]

Braun juiced more than Drago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6K3IvJzJRg

The only people who can't see that Braun has a legitimate defense are people who WANT him to be guilty (Cubs fans, Cardinals fans, Matt Kemp fans, Trolls.)

[CaptainP]

Fantastic article that came out last year after Braun was exonorated:

http://www.chadmoriyama.com/2012/02/rya ... important/

[drunkpirate66]

Braun juiced more than Drago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6K3IvJzJRg

The only people who can't see that Braun has a legitimate defense are people who WANT him to be guilty (Cubs fans, Cardinals fans, Matt Kemp fans, Trolls.)

Rocky fans wanted Drago to be innocent. He wasn't.

[RinglingRingling]

Nice to see Jack Morris kept out again. Drunken a&#^@*@* should stay out at Prairie Nest, and spend his time acting the part of a pretend cowboy. With his dream just out of reach.

[CaptainP]

The Blue Jays have now added aWANG to a rotation that already includes a DICKEY and a JOHNSON.

That is all.

[ragtopW]

not a huge Melkey fan but IMHO unless he got caught dirty after his suspension last year. he should not have to serve more time, even if he is guilty. unless they suspend him for covering up or lying to the investigators.

[TommyBahama]

The Blue Jays have now added aWANG to a rotation that already includes a DICKEY and a JOHNSON.

That is all.

Sounds like a Austin Powers Movie.

[Tequila Revenge]

The Blue Jays have now added aWANG to a rotation that already includes a DICKEY and a JOHNSON.

That is all.

That's quite a staff

[Tequila Revenge]

The reports I read said that Braun did indeed fail a test, but he got the results overturned for improper handling. (they didn't get it to a FedEx office in a timely matter) My opinion, he found a loophole and got lucky. He may have been "not guilty", but I don't think he proved his innocence by getting a positive test result thrown out.

If any suspension happens, I don't see Braun getting 100 games anyway. Maybe they're throwing that out there so they can settle on 50 in the end. Though Yankee fans might push for 100 for Rodriguez.

The problem is, MLB's appeal system is designed to find you guilty. He took the loophole out because it may have been the path of least resistance.

Yes, there was a failed test, but one fact you must consider. The highest level of synthetic testosterone ever found in a test had previously been 4ppm. His test was well over 200ppm. That's enough to kill a fully grown horse, and way more than should have killed Braun. There were 3 days where his sample was allegedly sitting "in a Tupperware container in the collector's basement". Who knows what happened to that sample in the meantime? There were so many suspicious circumstances that the evidence SCREAMS for questioning.

Barry, Alex, Roger and, *fill in the next name*, could not agree with you more. It really sucks when it's your guy on your team. I appreciate the way the Giants handled the Melky suspension. His career as a Giant was over.

The synthetic testosterone issue in baseball is discussed by Tom Verducci here- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/w ... index.html

Top baseball officials, however, privately acknowledge that synthetic testosterone is a problem in baseball, just as they believe it to be in all sports. Its rise is part of the "ebb and flow" of the business of testing and cheating, according to one baseball official.

The next step in that ebb and flow falls on the side of baseball to tighten the synthetic testosterone loophole, which has been the subject of the discussions between baseball and the union. The two sides have discussed two possibilities as a countermeasure. One idea is to run more carbon isotope ratio tests, a more expensive test than the standard drug test that, unlike the routine tests, is able to separate synthetic testosterone from the testosterone that naturally is produced by the body.

Baseball could do something about it where the mishandling handling of evidence becomes a mute issue.

[Dr.Corona]

What a day....you had Minny & the Nat's play 11, Rangers & Jays play 18, & the Mets & Marlins play 20!

Throw in a Kings/Hawks game that went an extra 30 minutes & you got a sports day wherein some fans got their moneys worth!

[Tequila Revenge]

What a day....you had Minny & the Nat's play 11, Rangers & Jays play 18, & the Mets & Marlins play 20!

Throw in a Kings/Hawks game that went an extra 30 minutes & you got a sports day wherein some fans got their moneys worth!

A's completed their sweep of the Yankme's in 18 last night

[Wino you know]

A's completed their sweep of the Yankme's in 18 last night

[Wino you know]

49 Years ago today. June 15th, 1964. The day the Cubs lost any and all respect for all time.

[LIPH]

Even though they won today, the Mets should change their theme song from Meet The Mets to They Call Me Mr. Pitiful.

Carry on.